There is an interest in the potential use of synthetic polymers and the effect they may have on the design and function of hard and soft tissue repair. To that end, various nanotechnology-based approaches have been taken.
However, current methods for creating a surface roughness (e.g., at the submicron and micron level) are deficient in terms of scaling, cost, complexity, reagent acquisition, disposal, and accessibility, biocompatibility, and mechanical properties of the substrate.
Other deficiencies in the art of producing synthetic polymers having rough surfaces at the nano, submicron, and micron level include, for example, the following: (i) current methods to create nanosurface roughness on polymers are difficult in maintaining consistency across the material type; (ii) current methods to create nanosurface roughness on polymers use chemicals that are potentially toxic if such chemicals are not completely removed; (iii) current methods to create nanosurface roughness on polymers use coating methods that can result in delamination of the polymer or added material and wear debris formation; (iv) current methods to create nanosurface roughness on polymers are difficult to apply in three dimensions/outside of direct line of site; and (v) current methods have difficulty creating both porous voids and aspirities.
The present invention is directed to overcoming these and other deficiencies in the art.